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TVNZ dumps two reality shows

New Zealand’s Got Talent and Mitre10 Dream Home have been dropped by TVNZ in favour of new multi-night format shows. This news comes on the back of announcements from TVNZ that My Kitchen Rules is getting a New Zealand version which, if as the statement suggests, will be at least two nights per week, or more.

Australia has developed strong series like Masterchef Australia and My Kitchen Rules as multi-night formats which have delivered ratings boosts for their prospective broadcasters and the successes are finally starting to gain traction here. With The Block working well for Mediaworks, it was only a matter of time before TVNZ jumped on the bandwagon and began producing more of their own multi-night shows.

No doubt there will be those who are disappointed that TVNZ have elected to pursue yet another cooking series over anything else. It certainly appears that food shows are the flavour of the season.

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Regan is one of the co-founders of Throng Media.
If they're on, I'm usually watching Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, 24, Battlestar Galactica, The X Factor, Survivor, House of Cards, Mad Men and the NRL.More from this author »

Kyle Wadsworth

SO glad NZGT is finally gone, hate hate hated it. Sad to see Mitre 10 Dream Home be dropped though, I enjoyed it more than The Block. Mixed about MKR NZ, I think I’d rather just watch the Australian version but with a NZ team thrown in.

I guess I’m in the minority but I’m much less likely to watch a series if it is on over multiple nights. If just one of those episodes per week clashes with another show I watch, or a non-TV commitment then I skip the series altogether rather than attempt to catch up online between episodes.

Anyone else do the same thing?

Clint

Nope; if I commit to watching something I’m in it for the long haul

Jeseta

But if a new series hadn’t begun yet, would the scheduling affect your decision to commit to it to begin with?

i.e it looks good and I’d watch it if it was just on Sunday but it’s on Sunday and Monday and that doesn’t work for me, so I won’t be watching this series at all.

roger

Nope, think you are the minority, although I hardly watch anything live these days.

Jeseta

Ah, that must be it. For NZ made programming I still prefer watching live rather than the on demand services provided by TVNZ and Mediaworks.

Dave Ian Batten

That was unnecessary. Keep NZGT, change the cast. That’s all you had to do. Don’t just give up.

Like I need to do that. I’ve got cerebral palsy, and live in a wheelchair. However, I do stand, so I need my legs.

Dave Ian Batten

However, that could be a good magic trik wouldn’t it?

Dave Ian Batten

Thanks mate!

Trevor Ashman

TV3 should now bring back X Factor NZ this year …give NZ variety 🙂

Glenn_F

hmm you have a strange understanding of the word ‘variety’

James

Just thinking, since The X Factor USA has been cancelled in the US, leaving a hole in the schedule for TV3, and with NZGT no longer taking up that period for talent shows in NZ, The X Factor NZ would be great to put there, especially since it seems based on the last couple of years international musical acts are in NZ doing concerts, would make the results show massive. Though it still needs judges to do it….

Allie

Wow – bad move, alright. Mitre 10 Dream Home was different to the norm, in that it helped give families a leg up who needed it. Last year’s show was a bit nauseating because of the couples chosen, but the show still had potential.
I struggle to understand what goes on in the heads of the ‘decision makers’ at TVNZ – especially the head of news, and that horrible Andrew Shaw man. They all need to GO – our precious tax $ go into funding what is essentially crap that nobody is interested in watching.

teamorange

always said the dykes would ruin that show

Robyn Gallagher

I think it’s unlikely that My Kitchen Rules will have NZ On Air funding. Shows like that and Masterchef tend to have sponsorship up the wazoo and no need for NZOA funding. The good news for taxpayers is that if a show like that makes a profit, It will go straight back to TVNZ’s stakeholder, the New Zealand government. So be thankful for popular shows like that – they make money for the government to use on whatever the government needs to spend money on!

As for the taxpayer-funded programmes that no one wants to watch, you’ll find those in the commercial-free zone in Sunday mornings. Shows like Attitude and Praise Be. They’re aimed at a specific audience, they don’t necessarily have huge appeal to your average New Zealander, but are still well worth checking out, nonetheless.

Allie

PS: I do agree with the dropping of NZGT – the “talent” is clearly missing. It felt like auditions for a bad high school production towards the end.

James

I hope Simon Barnett gets picked up for something. One of the best presenters on TV.

Clint

In 1992 maybe but there are heaps better than him nowadays

Reece

Is it cheaper as well to run the series across multiple nights a week? It means they stretch more footage so it can fill up more slots without much effort.

roger

Do you think NZers will be as hard out as the Aussie contestants on MKR? We have a pretty small country. Its harder to run and hide when you are made into the villain. The bitchiness is what makes MRK what it is.

Maggie

I wonder what the budget for MKR rules will be. I’m guessing $2m if you take into consideration all of the costs associated with judges’, presenters and production crew salaries, hotels and transport for same; venue hire; post-production costs; other overheads (the list goes on) …

At least the budget for this show is a little tidier (as it’s all under one show) – there will be judges’ and production staff salaries; accommodation, flights and transport for the judges, contestants and production staff; promotional expenses; overheads (where a sponsor can’t be secured to provide them); post-production fees … easily $2m. Hopefully they won’t appoint a host, as well as the judges, as there’s just no need for that in this particular show (up until last week, I was thinking that Zoe’s role on The Great Food Race wasn’t needed, but it became evident this week that it is).

I have to agree with Kyle Wadsworth … I’d rather just see NZ and Australia teams mixed, working off the Australian format (Kyle would like to see ‘a’ NZ team, but I think three would be good – maybe one could be the gatecrashers).

I’m still left thinking that it’s a mistake cancelling two reality shows of a completely different genre in favour of yet another cooking show.

Maggie

Oops – ignore that first paragraph – I thought I’d deleted it!

roger

do you think the NZ MKR will have the homes rounds and then just the rounds in the restaurant, or do you think they will also go galavanting around NZ for challenges as well?

Maggie

Hi Roger

I think they will copy the Oz show exactly, so yes – traveling around to the contestants’ locations, to their “homes” (rented? borrowed? leased?), first, before settling in the studio.

Given that The Great Food Race has their contestants travelling, I think they’ll want to do whatever they can to ensure they don’t look like the poor relations. The prize pool on TGFR is pretty impressive but they’ll surely look to do better. It’ll be interesting to see if Air NZ would be happy to sponsor both shows … probably not, considering they’re so ‘broke’ they’re cancelling the Starship programme for frequent travellers to/from provincial areas.

Maggie

Regan, do you know if ‘NZ’s Hottest Home Baker’ will be returning this year? I loved that!

Also, is there any word on if ‘NZ’s Top Next Model’ will ever be returning?

Regan Cunliffe

I’d love to see NZNTM back. One of the best local shows TV3 have done. Home Baker, not so much.